Tradition!

Think about your favorite holiday. What makes it your favorite? What do you do each year to make that holiday special for you? Imagine the foods that you eat, the decorations you put up, and the parties that you have. Whatever your traditions may be, you have certain things you do to make that day or season special. But there are a lot more traditions than just decorating the Christmas tree. Traditions are inherited from our experiences that influence our behavior. Which of these traditions encourage the best in families and individuals, and which are worth getting rid of?

When I think of the word tradition my mind automatically goes to Christmas and other celebrations. Some of these celebrations are national, some are local, and others are unique to families and individuals. Often these celebrations have a specific food associated with them, fireworks, or people that we celebrate with. These traditions are what makes the event special. If you have seen the film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone you may remember when the Dursleys take Harry captive to an island to keep him from attending Hogwarts. While there, Harry has his birthday, and knowing that his aunt, uncle, and cousin most likely won’t even acknowledge this special day, he draws himself a cake with candles in the dirt of the floor. This probably wasn’t quite the celebration that Harry would have liked, but he did what he could to make it special. 

There are also traditions of a more common nature. These are the things that we do daily or weekly that can have a large influence on our lives. This may be something like eating family dinner together. It is something simple, but that your day would feel empty without perhaps. Something that I have realized is that often these traditions require adaptations. As I have said before, I’m the youngest in my family and I have seen how some of our traditions have changed as my siblings have left home and I have grown up. This can seem sad at times, but I have learned that there are more memories to be had than simply doing what we have always done. The question comes when considering if we have traditions to cut out. I can’t really say anything specific that should or should not be cut out of family traditions because every family is unique, but I can share what I have seen be the most beneficial for me and my family.

The most important traditions to me growing up have been family prayer and scripture study, spending time together during holidays, and playing games together. These traditions are all things that can be adapted to individual circumstances, but have had such a huge impact on my life. I believe that the traditions that help us grow closer to God and our families and friends are the most important. There is an analogy I have often heard about strengthening our relationships. Imagine a triangle, and at each of the bottom corners is you and someone that you love, this could be a spouse, sibling, or friend etc. At the top of the triangle is God. As you work on growing closer to God you naturally grow closer to that person. This thinking has helped me grow closer to people that were particularly hard for me to get along with. I remember asking a trusted friend how I could work better alongside this person and he reminded me just to love him. Show appreciation for what they do in small but consistent ways. Traditions that are rooted in love and respect have the most impact. So build your traditions, adapt them, and have some that happen daily. They don’t need to be elaborate, but they should always be meaningful.